John Travolta sued for assault and sexual battery by masseur; actor's camp calls it 'baseless lie'

John Travolta has been sued for assault and sexual battery in federal court by an anonymous masseur, who claims the actor tried to have sex with him after hiring him for a massage.

In the 14-page lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court Central District of California on May 3, the masseur claims he was hired by Travolta on Jan. 16 in the Beverly Hills area for a massage at a rate of $200 per hour. The masseur alleges the actor touched his private parts and made unwelcome sexual advances. Travolta also attempted to entice the masseur into a threesome with a Hollywood starlet, the suit alleges. The masseur says he was paid $800 instead of the $400 owed him.

The suit cites emotional distress, seeks $2 million in damages and requests a jury trial.

Travolta's camp issued a strong denial to E! Channel. "This lawsuit is complete fiction and fabrication, None of the events claimed in the suit ever occurred. The plaintiff, who refuses to give their name, knows that the suit is a baseless lie...On that date when plaintiff claims John met him, John was not in California and it can be proved that he was on the East Coast. Plaintiff's attorney has filed this suit to try and get his 15 minutes of fame. John intends to get this case thrown out and then he will sue the attorney and Plaintiff for malicious prosecution."

Travolta, 58, first gained fame on television on the late 1970s sitcom "Welcome, Back Kotter." He achieved greater success in motion pictures like "Grease," "Saturday Night Fever" and "Pulp Fiction." He has twice been nominated for an Academy Award.

He has been married for 21 years to actress Kelly Preston. They have a 12-year-old daughter, Ella, and 2-year-old son, Benjamin. A third child, Jett, died in 2009 at the age of 16.